The iconic Rottnest Channel swim, held at the weekend, attracted more than two thousand three hundred swimmers. Among them were two Derby women who are in Perth studying at University, and keen to challenge themselves to swim the channel.

Vinka Barunga and Brianna Ozies, and team mates Brendan Moore and Dennis Simmons, were the first all Indigenous swim team, formed through the Nyoongar Sports Association, to cross to Rotto.

Vinka, who is a fourth year medical student at University of WA, says she was so excited to finish in a great time of six hours 49 minutes.

She's keen to raise awareness about the importance of swimming, as a way to keep fit and to save lives. She also hopes to spread a message in the Kimberley about drowning prevention. A member of her extended family drowned in a pool in November, and the team dedicated their swim to that little girl.

"That became quite a big reason for me personally to do the swim. It also became a message of awareness of infant drowning in Aboriginal communities because often you don't hear about it."

"I'm really proud.... I put the Aboriginal flag in my bathers when we jumped off the boat for the last time and when we got to the point where we could stand I pulled it out and the crowd went pretty crazy."

"To top it off it was my 25th birthday!"

She's hoping to continue her on the job medical training in the Kimberley next year, and is considering swimming to Rotto with Brianna, in a two-person team event.